Quick disconnect coupling



Jan. 11, 1949. JOHNSON 2,458,910

QUICK DISGONNECT COUPLING Filed May 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 751 I H/Zgs.

' tuberance.

Patented Jan. 11, 1949 QUICK DISCONNECT COUPLING Paul P. Johnson, Willoughhy, Ohio, minor to Thompson Products, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a

' corporation of Ohio Application May 16, 1945, Serial h e-594,071 2 Claims. (01. 28H) 1 This invention relates to self-sealing couplings of the type disclosed in the George H. Hufl'erd Patent 2,326,143 dated August 10, 1943, but having otherwise-necessary structure for readily aligning the coupling parts for the coupling operation.

Specifically this invention deals with self-sealing couplings which have identical mating coupling boxes and valve parts cooperating with said identical boxes to automatically align the boxes when they are brought together for the coupling operation,

In the Huiferd Patent 2,326,143 a self-sealing detachable coupling with cooperating male and female coupling boxes is disclosed. The male coupling box has side ears for fitting into recesses in the female coupling box. During the coupling operation these cars may slide sideways in the recesses of the female coupling box to slow up the coupling operation.

The present invention now provides a selfsealing detachable coupling having identical coupling boxes. These coupling boxes have fiat mating end faces which can be more cheaply formed than the mating surfaces of the heretofore disclosed male and female coupling boxes. The identical coupling boxes of this invention rotatably receive a two-piece valve and integral cooperating tongue and groove means on the valve pieces and boxes serve to couple the boxes together when both valve pieces are moved into both boxes, and to retain a valve piece in each box when each valve piece is rotated into one box only., The valve pieces have mating faces with a recess through one face closed by the wall of the coupling box retaining this piece in uncoupled position, and with a protuberance on the mating face of the other valve piece for seating in the closedendcd recess to automatically align the valve pieces and coupling boxes for the coupling operation. The wall portions of the coupling boxes closing the ends of the recess in the one valvepiece will eliminate end movement of the pro The valve piece with the protuberance thereon has a conduit passage therethrough for connecting the ports of the coupling boxes in fluid flow communication when the valve is rotated to position the ends of the conduit passage in communication with the ports of the boxes.

This invention, therefore, utilizes otherwisenecessary structure in a quick disconnect coupling for aligning the coupling sections, and at the same time eliminates heretofore-required male and female coupling boxes.

It is, then, an object of this invention to provide self-sealing detachable couplings with otherwisenecessary structure so arranged to automatically align the coupling parts for a coupling operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide self-sealing detachable couplings with identical coupling boxes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide quick disconnect couplings with identical coupling boxes arranged to coact with male and female valve pieces to automatically align the assembly for a coupling operation.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheets of drawings which, by way of a preferred example only, illustrate one embodiment of the invention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a coupling according to this invention illustrating the parts in coupled-together relation.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but illustrating the coupling parts in sealed disconnected relation.

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is 'a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an exploded vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, of the parts of the coupling shown in Figures 1 to 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view with parts in end elevation taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 2;

As shown on the drawings:

In Figures 1 and 2 the reference numeral l0 designates generally a quick disconnect coupling of this invention. The coupling III is composed of two identical coupling boxes H, H and a split plug valve I2 having a male valve segment l3 and a female valve segment ll.

As shown in Figures 3 to 5, each coupling box II has a fragmental cylindrical side wall II a with a flat planar end face lib. When the coupling boxes II have the mating end faces IIb thereof abutted together, the cylindrical side walls Ila define an open-ended cylindrical valveoperating chamber. An integral neck He projects laterally from each coupling box II and a mounting flange d is provided on each neck He. A nipple Ile projects from each neck He beyond the flange Ild.

A port I5 is provided in each neck He. The port I! opens at one end into the valve-operating chamber provided by the cylindrical side walls I la and has a shoulder I6 at the other end thereof. A conduit passage I! through the nipple Ile communicates with the shouldered end of the po -t I A coil spring II is seated in the port I5 and hottomed on the shoulder IS. A retainer I9 has a flange "a acted on by the spring ll and a forwardly projecting neck or sleeve Itb seated in a resilient sleeve III composed of rubber, neoprene, or the like sealing material. The sleeve 20 has a dished end face 20a for fitting around a portion of the cylindrical plug valve I2. The spring urges the dished end face 20a of the sleeve 20 into sealing engagement with the plug valve. The arrangement is such that the seal assembly will not impede the flow of fluid through the passage Il since the inner diameters of the sleeve and retainer are substantially the same as the diameter of the passage Il.

Upstanding semi-annular tongues or ways III are provided on the top and bottom ends of thecylindrical side walls Ila of each coupling box II, as best shown in Figures 5 and 6. The male segment I3 of the plug valve has a semi-cylindrical side wall Ila with overhanging lips I3b at the ends thereof. Semi-annular grooves or ways Iic are formed in the lips In to receive the tongues I I f of the coupling boxes.

The valve segment I3 has a fiat mating end face lid with a semi-cylindrical protuberance lle thereon. A conduit passage 2| is formed through the valve segment I3. This passage 2| is normal to the cylindrical side wall I3a for joining the ports of the coupling boxes as will be more fully hereinafter described.

A lug segment I3} projects from the top wall of the valve segment I3.

The valve segment II has a semi-cylindrical side wall Ila with overhanging lips Ilb at the ends thereof and grooves: c in the lips. A flat end face lid is provided on the valve segment I4 for mating with the face I341 of the valve seg-- ment I3. A semi-cylindrical recess He is formed through the face lid to receive the protuberance I3e of the valve seg-m'ent I3. A lug segment III is provided on the top wall of the valve segment I! to cooperate with the segment I3f to form a square'or rectangular tool-receiving turning lug.

When the coupling boxes are in disconnect position shown in Figures 2 and 4, the tongues iii of one coupling box II receives only the grooves I3c of the valve segment I3 and the cylindrical wall Ila of this valve segment closes the port of the box in sealing engagement with the resilient sleeve 20. The other valve segment II has the grooves Ilc thereof receiving only the tongues III of the other coupling box and the cylindrical side wall Ila of this valve segment closes the port of this coupling box. The faces I3d and lid of the valve segments are substantially flush with the mating faces I lb of the separated boxes. The recess I Ie of the valve segment extends across the flush face lid of the valve segment and is closed at its ends by the walls Ila of the coupling box.

The protuberance lie of the valve segment l3 projects beyond the flush face Iid of the valve segment. Thus the coupling boxes, in uncoupled position, have the passages II thereof respectively sealed by the valve segments I3 and I4.

and each valve segment is retained by a coupling box.

To couple the boxes ll together as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the boxes are positioned so that the lug segments I3 and H! of the valve segments are on the same side-and the protuberance lie of the valve segment I3 is then seated in the recess Me. This seating of the protuberance automatically aligns the valve for the coupling operation. As illustrated in Figure 6, the proturerance I3e is retained against endwise movement in the recess Ile by the side walls Ila of the coupling box. The mating faces |3d and lid of the valve segments are then brought together and this automatically brings the mating faces lib of the coupling boxes together. The valve is then rotated in the cylindrical chamber provided by the mated-together coupling boxes. This rotation of the valve places the conduit passage 2I in alignment with the ports of the coupling boxes to join the passages I! in full fluid flow communication. At the same time the grooves I30 and Ilc of the valve segments are moved into engagement with the tongues II! of both coupling boxes to couple the boxes together.

From the above descriptions it should be understood that this invention provides a quick disconnect coupling with identical coupling boxes having flat mating end faces that are automatically brought into alignment by otherwise necessary structure including interfitting male and female valve parts and coupling box walls.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the ap pended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A self-sealing detachable coupling comprising a pair of identical ported coupling boxes having chamber-defining walls with flat mating end faces and defining when said faces are mated together a valve-operating chamber, a split plug valve rotatable in said chamber to couple the boxes together and connect the ports of the boxes in fluid flow communication, means retaining a valve segment in each box to close the ports thereof when the boxes are disconnected, a valve segment retained by one box having a mating face with a recess therethrough closed at the ends by the box when the segment is in uncoupled position, a valve segment retained by the other box having a cooperating mating face with a passaged protuberance readily seatable in the closed ended recess to laterally align the boxes for cou pling, said protuberance passage having both ends exposed in the uncoupled position of said I other box to drain fluid therefrom and said passage forming a conduit connecting the ports of the boxes when the valve is rotated to couple the boxes.

2. A quick disconnect coupling comprising a pair of identical coupling boxes with chamberdeflning side walls having fiat planar mating end faces and defining when mated together a valveoperating chamber, mating male and female valve segments with a passaged protuberance on one segment and a recess in the other segment 5 coacting with said protuberance to align the coupling boxes, said coupling boxes having side walls for restricting endwise movement of the protuberance in the male valve segment when it is seated in the female recess, and cooperating means on the coupling boxes and valve segments for joining the coupling boxes in coupled position wherein said protuberance passage provides fluid flow through said boxes and for retaining a valve segment in each coupling box when the boxes are uncoupled, said protuberance passage having both ends exposed in the uncoupled position of said boxes to drain fluid therefrom.

PAUL P. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in-the file of this patent:

I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,333,496 Townhill et a1 Nov. 2, 1943 2,357,232 Snyder et al Aug. 29, 1944 m 2,373,925 Townhill Apr. 17, 1945 

